Health Insurance Marketplace and Your Options

Windstream is required to notify all employees about the Health Insurance Marketplace, which was created by the Affordable Care Act to help uninsured and eligible Americans gain access to healthcare. Beyond open enrollment, the Marketplace also allows individuals to elect coverage for certain qualifying events throughout the year.

Required Notice for All Employees (Non-Union) 

Required Notice for Union Employees:

• CWA_1929,3174,3511,3683,3684,3716,4324,4485,4488,7172,7470, IBEW_204,0463,1189,1507,1671,1929,2089,2374
• CWA 6171
• CWA 3371,3372,13000 and IBEW 2222

Whether or not you currently have health care insurance, most employees will likely find that Windstream’s plans will be more cost-effective than coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Windstream employees share the cost of their monthly premiums with the company and do so with pre-tax dollars. In contrast, coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace will require employees to pay 100 percent of the premium using after-tax dollars.

You may have heard about the potential to receive subsidies from the federal government for some individuals and families that elect coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. We expect that employees currently eligible for Windstream benefits will not be eligible for those subsidies because of the design and affordability of Windstream’s plan offerings, which meet all requirements of health care reform.

Should you choose to explore the Health Insurance Marketplace options, you can learn more by visiting www.healthcare.gov or call Marketplace Customer Service at 1-800-318-2596.

If you have questions about coverage offered to eligible employees and family members through Windstream, call a Benefits Counselor at 866-553-9409.